I remember lots of nights listening to my grandmother play The Tennessee Waltz. It was a favorite in her home and with her friends. My mother would often hum it and my father could sing it word for word and with great feeling. I'm sure that many of you (of a certain age) remember the song well.
My first memory of Patti Page probably comes from her photograph on the sheet music that adorned my grandmother's piano. There was this one, of course, and How Much is that Doggie in the Window, Allegheny Moon, and definitely Old Cape Cod.
Years later, I would impress the family by telling them I was going to school with one of her nephews.☺ (She grew up in a large family and had a great many nieces and nephews.)
Most recently, and that was five years ago, I wrote about attending a concert at the Fryeburg Fair...
But I wasn't there for any of the above, I just wanted to see Patti Page who was the featured performer of the evening. She of "How Much is that Doggie in the Window" and "Tennessee Waltz" fame. My earliest memories of her are from her picture featured on sheet music that sat on my grandmother's piano. Last night Miss Page was in fine voice singing before an extremely large crowd...standing room only. (I was one of the chain link fence huggers.) I learned a few new things about her last evening and one is that she's in the maple syrup business as she and her husband own a farm in New Hampshire where they harvest maple syrup.
I see from the treasures I have of that evening that somewhere in this house is a cd of Christmas music. I'm on a search.
Patti Page left us on New Year's Day, though we have our memories and recordings of her smooth, mellow voice. I will remember her as one who had a great deal of pluck right into her senior years.
Do you have a favorite Patti Page song?
I used to sing "How much is that doggie in the window?" All of the time. How special that you got to see Patti Page in person and have some items to enjoy even now.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites would be "Tennessee Waltz" and "Old Cape Cod." :-)
ReplyDeleteSo happy you got to see her perform, in person, and brought home all those treasures, from the night.
Cold over here. Betcha' it's cold over in your neck of the woods too!!! ,-)
Hi Vee!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great loss. I have always loved her and her music. My Dad was a musician and she was one of her favorites so I'm sure he was there to greet her when she crossed over. It gives me a feeling of awe to think of how many musicians my darling Daddy is in the midst of. The music must be so incredible there, all that talent praising God in music!
I've had a great time catching up with your posts! Love love love your new teapot. There's nothing like a spot of tea in a pretty pot on a cold winters day. I apologize for not visiting for a bit but the holidays had me spinning like a top. I had so many projects that I HAD to finish by Christmas. My resolution is to plan my project schedule better for 2013! We've been taking down Christmas and getting ready for Painting our living
room. Never a dull moment.
May you and John be especially blessed in this new year!
BIG hugs, Sherry
PS so glad you liked out post on aging! Thanks!
To add to the "do you remember?" thing....
ReplyDeleteHow many remember that weekly tv show, which did a countdown of the top records/songs of the week? It was for adults, as well as kids, and on maybe Sat. night? And they did them, in a little descriptive way?
So that old song, which ended with; "I'm right around the corner in a phone booth..." made for interesting improv.
Was a singer by the name of Giselle McKensey on it???????
When Brett read me the news I broke out singing "how much is that doggie in the window". That was the song that first came to mind. I remember my parents enjoying her music. You have much better memories and I enjoyed reading them. How interesting to know that she was in the maple syrup business.
ReplyDeleteI heard the news on the TV this morning that Patti Page passed away. I remember Tennessee Waltz, Old Cape Cod, and How Much is That Doggie in the Window?, the latter of which was a childhood favourite. It still comes to mind now and then and I always have a flashback to our kitchen at home with the song playing on the radio and my mother singing along. A 'warm fuzzy' moment. :) How wonderful that you got to see and hear her in person and have some memorabilia from that event! Sweet memories.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Auntie sezzz: there was the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts and I think Giselle McKensey sang on his show as a regular. He loved the McGuire Sisters and had them on often too.
ReplyDeleteThere's also The Hit Parade sponsored by Lucky Strike Cigarettes. I think they had a countdown of the most popular hits for the week and they were on Saturday nights.
(The above info actually came from my hubby so this would be my disclaimer.)
I was saddened to hear this last evening, I always enjoyed her songs,Tennessee Waltz i think was my favorite,thanks for sharing her beautiful voice this morning.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sue
I loved Patti Page. My 2 favorite songs of hers were Detour and Cross Over the Bridge. She was a bright shining star and she will be missed.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that she had passed away. I love her voice. This was the kind of music that I was raised on, since my mother liked it so much. I blame (credit) that for the fact that I have always been a bit out of my own time.
ReplyDelete(I didn't know about her passing because haven't watched the news much at all since November, to be honest. I know in my head that that is unwise, but I get so agitated these days that I have had to step away.)
I'll be clicking that click to hear that beautiful song now.
May she rest in peace.
Allegheny Moon, definitely. I think when internet companies like Amazon made it so easy to obtain old music, many performers like Patty Page became popular all over again. I can purchase and download per song from Amazon and make my own CD. That way I end up with only favorites. Patty Page will be remembered for a long time.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
My parents were (are) great music lovers, so I well remember hearing Patti Page croon "Tennessee Waltz" at my house! In fact, when I was in the second grade, I had a dress (white puffed sleeves, butterscotch colored skirt and bodice, colorfully embroidered flowers on the white) that I associated with the Tennessee Waltz. Maybe I imagined myself dancing in that dress? I have no idea. Funny how the mind works...
ReplyDeleteI guess you could say Patti Page was a household name for our age group growing up. My mother used to always sing her songs too and 'how Much is that Doggie in the Window' was my favourite to sing to our girls as toddlers.
ReplyDeleteGood that you got to see Patti perform, even if from the fence line.
Judith
I was also very sad to hear of Patti Page passing. She had the most beautiful voice! Tennessee Waltz is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteOh I hadn't heard that...how sad. Loved her voice. And Tennessee Waltz is hard to beat. Enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of her passing. I have a very vivid memory of my dad in his retirement years washing/waxing his car while playing her cd inside his car. He loved all of her music.
ReplyDeletePatti Paige! My! A blast from the past. I had not heard of her passing. A loss for all of us --especially the younger generations who may not have heard her wonderful voice. I was on television as a very young girl -- signing "how much is that doggie in the window". I don't remember much of my debut, except that the dress I was wearing itched!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful blessing to see her in concert! She was definitely a familiar voice from my past,too. Thank you for creating this wonderful post to remember her and honor the beautiful voice she shared with us.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful lady with a beautiful voice. Proud to say she was an Okie, born in Claremore. My favorite Patti Page song is "How much is That Doggie in the Window?", very popular when I was a little girl.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Carol
P.S. Yes I want snow, not a blizzard, just a pretty snow of at least 2 inches. : )
Not familiar with her music, although my mom and I always sang How Much Is That Doggie song. May she rest in peace. Another lovely voice joining the Heavenly Choir. xo
ReplyDeleteHi Vee!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman, with a voice like a song bird . . . I loved Patti Page! I love the treasures you kept - and who would have thought that she would be in the Maple syrup business?!
Those old songs are my favorite. Many years ago, a friend and I used to sing together, and we were really popular at senior citizen centers - they were the best audiences! Of course, their favorite songs were from the past. Beautiful songs like, The Tennessee Waltz, Allegheny Moon, and all the other great songs from that era. Patti Page will be missed - but her beautiful voice will live on for decades to come!
Happy New Year Vee!
Hugs,
Barb
Vee, my favorite Patti Page song is "Tennessee Waltz". My mom had a 45 of this when I was young & she would play it and try to teach me to waltz. I definitely have two left feet, so the dancing was finally scrubbed, but I loved to listen to the record. Wonder what ever happened to it?
ReplyDeleteTime is marching on, isn't it? My favorite is "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" So wonderful you got to go see her sing.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely The Tennessee Waltz! My mother was from Kentucky (my dad from New Albany, Indiana... which is really northern Kentucky if anyone has visited that area, hehehe).
ReplyDeleteI grew up on southern music of all kinds and The Tennessee Waltz was a favorite of my parents. Isn't it interesting how music can take us back to a specific event or person?
Oh, love this post! My grandmother had that very same sheet music with Patti on the cover. My mother, grandmother and aunt all had pianos and loved to play, so it naturally followed that I would learn too. :) I loved Tennessee Waltz and Old Cape Cod, among others. Patti Page will be missed.
ReplyDeleteI saw Aunties comment...the old tv show that she's referring to is "Hit Parade". I'll be visiting her next and tell her.
I was born in Tennessee and my mom would sing The Tennessee Waltz when we were in the kitchen together. So sad to start the year out with the lost of an American treasure, XOXO
ReplyDeleteI just watched a Patti Page feature on TV this morning...and came here to see you featured her as well. Oh...the memories! I guess my favorite was 'How much is the Doggie in the Window?'...since that is what would always come to mind when I heard the name Patti Page.
ReplyDeleteThe Tennessee Waltz would be my favourite. Such a lovely song, and a lovely voice. She left behind a beautiful legacy.
ReplyDeletePatti Page will be rememberd for all those wonderful songs. So nice that you got to see her perform!!! Thanks for the memories...
ReplyDeleteIn my case, it was my grandfather who sang The Tennessee Waltz. I remember singing Mockingbird Hill when it came out, and Moon River is special too because my grandmother liked it. And Paul and I sang "How Much is that Doggie in the Window" with our kids when they were little. What great memories. She gave us all the gift of her voice and her music, didn't she?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a young girl we took a vacation to Tennessee to look at some property my father wanted to purchase. It was the neatest place. I remember an awesome cabin gathering place and there was a dance held.
ReplyDeleteAnd there was this adorable young boy my age who asked me to slow dance to The Tennessee Waltz...........my first dance ever with a boy (parents nearby watching carefully, but so innocent back then) and I shall never forget it.
Everytime I hear that song - which isn't often, we're Yankees, haha - it brings me back to the 5th grade and a time of such sweet innocence.
Thanks for the memories, Vee.
Hugs.
I loved her sweet voice. A classmate of mine wrote about how she would visit his family owned Mexican restaurant on San Diego and tipped generously. Her grand kids would linger behind and pocket the tip! Hoping the grand kids were mischievous children and not full grown adults!
ReplyDeleteI guess it would have to be How Much is That Doogie in the Window because I still sing that song. In fact I was just singing it last night!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've had a busy day painting!!
How Much is that Doggie in the Window really stands out in my memories. I'm sure there are lots more that I would recognize when I heard them. A music legend. Thanks for the great tribute...
ReplyDeleteVee - I'm giggling over here at your comment about not knowing what Dylan was singing!!! So true. I do love his music though - hope you can google Forever Young and hear it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have...I listened to two renditions...Joan Baez and Norah Jones...both very good...pretty song when someone else sings it. =D
DeleteYou are right - they are both really good! I LOVE THAT SONG...... !
DeleteI only just remember her song How much is that doggy in the window, I was only little and wanted a dog very badly so every time I heard the song I asked again can I have a dog. I'm sure my mum wasn't to fond of that song.
ReplyDeleteMerle........
I hadn't heard that she had passed...how sad. I love her beautiful songs and have been a big fan of Anne Murray for years and she sings some of these songs, too. What wonderful stories they tell.
ReplyDeleteWell I have to say, it's How Much is that Doggie in the Window. However, I didn't know P. Page was the one who sang it. When I was a little girl, I'd go to my grandmothers house and play it on her piano while I sang it at the top of my lungs. Thanks for the memory. ~ Abby
ReplyDeleteMy momma used to sing How Much is That Doggie in the Window to me when I was a little girl when she would lay in my bed at night while tucking me in. Treasured memory for sure. I always loved the Tennessee Waltz. Such a lovely song & she had such a lovely voice.
ReplyDeleteI was so glad to read your post about Patti Page! My mom was only a year younger than Patti Page and she was her favorite female singer. The Tennessee Waltz was my parent's special song when they were dating and I remember Mother rocking my sister in the big willow rocker singing the song to us and saying "That was your daddy and I's song when we were dating." She sang How Much Is that Doggie in the Window too. So sad to see a generation pass--Daddy's been gone over 20 years now and mother is suffering Alzheimer's Disease. I'm sitting here remembering an old photo of my parents at a New Years Eve party. Daddy was so handsome and Mother in her beautiful party dress and so much in love. I wonder if their song was playing.
ReplyDeleteV
I didn't know much about her, but loved watching that video. I had heard she died. The voice of an angel...!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that...!
xo Terri
Vee
ReplyDeleteSo neat you got to hear her sing live! How full of joy your home must have been with your father singing and your g'ma playing the piano.
I love Patti's music and heard she was still touring up until a year ago. She sure was one plucky lady.
But I hear that you East coast ladies are!
Those are sweet memories!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to see her at the Fair....
Deanna